Month: June 2016

Mickey Mantle! To this day, few names in all of sports have gone down in history as undisputed legend like his. The Mickey Mantle auction items in the 2016 Summer Premium Live Auction, which can be previewed starting July 8, make up a truly impressive collection. This is one for the history books, too.

The Man

Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle (1931-1995) is baseball royalty. He is still widely considered to be the best switch-hitter of all time and earned a long list of championships, awards, and broke many records. He played his entire Major League Baseball career for the New York Yankees, from 1951-1968. He won baseball’s Triple Crown in 1956 and had 536 career home runs, not to mention his impressive center field record. He was an All Star for 16 seasons, played in 12 World Series, and won seven World Series Championships.

Mantle hit some of the longest home runs in the history of MLB…and he could do so right or left-handed. He most often batted left-handed since there are more right-handed pitchers in baseball, but he was known to actually prefer batting right-handed, saying that he felt stronger with his right hand. He even used a heavier bat when batting with his right.

The Collectibles

For any collector, Mickey Mantle items are must-have. His career and achievements were so great that there are a wide variety of items available ranging from figurines and telegrams to rare baseball cards and autographed baseballs. Values vary greatly depending on rarity and condition, so any level of collector can own a slice of Mickey Mantle history. His 1951 Bowman rookie card is still hugely popular as is any item from that year featuring him with the legendary Joe DiMaggio. Mantle’s rookie year with the Yankees was DiMaggio’s final year, whom he replaced in center field upon DiMaggio’s retirement.

His 1952 Topps card is a crown jewel in any collection. Possibly the most recognizable card in all of baseball, these are highly coveted. They are difficult to find in NM+ or better condition, so an opportunity to own one can’t be overstated. Goldin Auctions will have one in the coming summer auction, along with “The Mick’s” 1955 Yankees American League Championship ring, and so much more.

The 2016 Summer Premium Live Auction preview begins July 8, with the live auction being held August 4, 2016.

Baseball jerseys are great items to add to any sports memorabilia collection and can mean big profit if you invest in the right ones. Unfortunately, the “right” jersey can be elusive or just too expensive for your budget. Here are three smart tips to consider when collecting baseball jerseys that will help you come out on top.

Jersey Authenticity

One of the first things to remember when purchasing a baseball jersey would be to make sure it is authentic. Always purchase from a reputable sports memorabilia dealer, and make sure the signature is not forged by only purchasing jerseys that come with a certificate of authenticity from a well-known authenticator. There are millions of fake jerseys sold each year. In 2013, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in cooperation with the NFL, seized around $13,600,000 dollars of fake jerseys and other related memorabilia. “Organized criminals are preying on that excitement, ripping consumers off with counterfeit merchandise and stealing from the American businesses who have worked hard to build a trusted brand”, said ICE director, John Morton, in this ESPN Report: Cracking Down on Fake Jerseys.

The Game and Player

After you know that the jersey and autograph are authentic, make sure you invest in only the best. The best jerseys will be from very well-known players, autographed, and will have been used in a high profile game. A good example of a jersey that fits this description would be the 9/11 Mike Piazza jersey we sold for $365,000. It broke a record for being the highest price paid for a modern day autographed jersey. We all know the tragic events that happened on September 11. After the terrorist attacks, MLB was thinking of canceling upcoming games, or possibly the entire season, but finally decided to continue on. On September 21, 2001 the New York Mets were playing the Atlanta Braves when Piazza crushed a two-run home run telling the world that MLB, and the US as a whole, were deciding to be brave and go forward.

Scout Minor League Players

Make no mistake, authentic MLB jerseys and other game used, signed baseball memorabilia can get very expensive. If you do not have deep pockets, you could scout talent in the minor league. It is getting harder to obtain autographs and game used collectables the affordable, old-fashioned way by getting them from the players at the game. Minor league players are much different because their security is not as tight (compared to MLB), and they are much more eager to sign and give away things. Scout the best players that you think will move up to the majors and offer to purchase their game-used jerseys. If they get drafted to a MLB team and do well, the jerseys will skyrocket in value.

Do you have vintage or modern baseball jerseys to sell? Contact us. We would love to hear from you.

From autographed baseballs to one-of-a-kind documents, serious collectors are paying top dollar to score rare pieces of baseball history. Here are a few of the most noteworthy baseball collectibles that have sold in the past few months.

“Laws of Baseball” Document

The Laws of Baseball document was written by Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams president of the New York Knickerbockers Baseball Club. Adams wrote this document to propose new rules and specifications for the game of baseball including setting the base path length to 90 feet, the number of players on the field at one time at 9, and nine innings as the standard amount of innings played in a game. He planned to take this document to the New York City Baseball Convention of 1857. In 1999 this document sold at auction for $12,650 but in April of 2016 it sold for the record-breaking amount of 3.26 million dollars! It is the highest amount paid for a baseball document and the third highest price paid for a piece of sports memorabilia.

Babe Ruth Contracts

At the end of April 2016, Babe Ruth’s first contract signed for playing with the New York Yankees sold for a staggering $549,000. This was a record-breaking sell and the most ever paid for one of Babe Ruth’s New York Yankees contracts.

2001 Mike Piazza Post 9/11 Photo Matched Jersey

After the tragic events of 9/11, life, including sports, came to a grind halt. Sports teams didn’t know what to do and some even thought of canceling their seasons. On September 21, 2001, The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves were playing and Piazza hit a huge two-run home run symbolizing that after tragic events occur you have to be strong and move forward. Piazza’s jersey from that game became a symbol of the healing of New York City and the entire country. Many people around the world wanted this jersey. In fact, Piazza’s family stayed in the auction until it reached over $90,000. Finally, Anthony Scaramucci, Tony Lauto and an unnamed third party won the jersey paying $365,000. This sale set a record for being the most expensive modern day jersey ever sold. The new owners plan to keep the jersey in New York City.

Farm Fresh Cracker Jack Poster

A rare Cracker Jack poster dating back to 1915 was discovered in a Wisconsin barn and recently sold for $61,741. It was a promotional piece featuring a set of cards and images including Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ty Cobb, and Honus Wagner. This farm fresh poster is one of three that is known to exist.

Mike Trout Orange Refractor 2009 Bowman

In 2009, Trout was a first-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In 2012, he became a regular player in their line up, won the Rookie of the Year Award, and was the stolen base leader. In 2014, he won the Most Valuable Player Award, the Hank Aaron Award, and was the RBI leader. In March of 2016, A 2009 Bowman Orange Refractor (graded 9.5) sold for $14,000! This is one of the highest prices that a newer, modern baseball card has been sold for.

Do you have iconic sports memorabilia you would like to sale? We would love to hear from you.

So Why is Baseball Hall of Famer Christopher “Christy” Mathewson’s Autograph is Hard to Find?

Christopher “Christy” Mathewson was a Major League baseball player that pitched for the New York Giants and ended his career with the Cincinnati Reds. Although he died at an early age, Christy had a long and wildly successful career as a pitcher from 1900 to 1918 and was one of the first five players to be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, and Walter Johnson! His accomplishments include:

Had most wins (372) in New York Giant’s history with 83 shutouts and more than 2,500 strikeouts.

Career ERA of 2.13 and fifth best ever.

Career winning batting average of .665 and sixth best ever.

373 career wins and third best ever.

As you can see, Christy is one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball history. So why is his autograph so hard to find? There are many autographs in circulation by legends like Babe Ruth. Let’s look further into Christy’s life to find possible reasons.

At a time when many baseball players were noted as heavy drinkers and womanizers, Christy took pride in being a Christian and was well known for living a very clean and moral life. In fact, he refused to pitch any games that fell on a Sunday, a promise he had made years earlier to his mother.

In 1918, Christy enlisted in the Army to fight in World War I. He was the captain of the Chemical Service and served with Ty Cobb. After arriving in France, Christy was accidentally gassed in a training exercise that led to him developing tuberculosis. He was discharged in 1919 and upon arrival in the United States became the coach of the Giants until 1921 while fighting for his life. In 1923, he and Emil Fuchs (Giant’s attorney) put together a group that purchased the Boston Braves. The plan was to make Christy the owner and president of the team but eventually his health was too bad. In 1925, he finally passed away in Saranac Lake, NY at the age of 45.

Maybe Christy’s autograph is so hard to find because of the lifestyle he lived during his career in Major League Baseball. While players like Babe Ruth were seeking the spotlight and living a worldly life, Christy may have shied away from many opportunities that would have produced more opportunities for autographs. We do know that him dying at the age of 45 drastically decreased the chance of more of his autographs being put into circulation. Most seasoned collectors know how hard it is to find one of his autographs. His autograph is indeed rare but his full autograph “Christy Mathewson” is even harder to find and more sought after by advanced collectors.